Syntax Creative wants to congratulate our clients who won awards at the 35th annual IMBA Bluegrass Music Awards on September 26, 2024, in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Clients garnered a total of 45 nominations in 23 categories, including a full sweep in the Industry Awards’ Songwriter of the Year category in this year’s IBMA Bluegrass Awards. The 35th annual IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards nominations were announced on July 17 and Industry and Momentum Award nominations were announced on July 24.
East Nash Grass – New Artist of the Year
This award recognizes new artists, whether branded as a group or individual, who have for the first time in their careers demonstrated professional, commercial, and artistic impact on bluegrass audiences worldwide. Artists who have reached the final ballot in this category twice within a three-year period will no longer be eligible for this award. The award recognizes the artist or performing group.
East Nash Grass is a popular Nashville-based band. They received an IBMA Momentum Award Nomination for Band of the Year in 2022. The band is an ensemble of standout players from a city known for the quality of its musicians. East Nash Grass came by its name and reputation honestly, honing their performance chops night after night on a tiny stage on Music City’s east side. Even now having played many of the biggest stages in bluegrass, East Nash Grass can be found every Monday night performing in that same east side bar. East Nash Grass exemplifies what it means to be a bluegrass band from Nashville. It takes dedication to the group’s roots and hard work. Whether it’s bluegrass Monday at Dee’s, or the hallowed stage of the Ryman Auditorium, East Nash Grass brings swagger, staggering abilities, and high energy to every performance. They are Nashville’s newest bluegrass ambassadors.
Listen to their album, Last Chance to Win.
Jaelee Roberts – Female Vocalist of the Year
This award recognizes a female vocalist who has shown outstanding recorded and/or in-person vocal performance. The artist must be active professionally within the eligibility period. The award recognizes the artist.
Despite her youth, Jaelee Roberts is a mutli-award winning artist receiving 2021 IBMA Momentum Vocalist of the Year and IBMA Vocal Group of the Year awards, 2023 IBMA Female Vocalist of the Year nomination, 2023 SPBGMA Album of the Year award and Female Vocalist of the Year. A Nashville native, she was born to veteran music professionals (Grascals’ Danny Roberts) and grew up backstage at the Grand Ole Opry. Jaelee is a member of the multi-award winning, all-female supergroup Sister Sadie; plays fiddle, guitar, mandolin and piano as well as sings lead vocals. Her debut full-length album Something You Didn’t Count On debuted in the Top Ten on the Billboard Bluegrass Album chart and peaked at #2 on the Bluegrass Unlimited album chart. She made her solo debut appearance at the Grand Ole Opry in September 2023.
Listen to her latest singles, “Georgia Rain,” “Stuck in the Middle With You,” and “Between the Two of Us.”
Danny Paisley – Male Vocalist of the Year
This award recognizes a male vocalist who has shown outstanding recorded and/or in-person vocal performance. The artist must be active professionally within the eligibility period. The award recognizes the artist.
Danny Paisley and The Southern Grass are winners of the 2009 IBMA Song of the Year, and 15+ Bluegrass Music Award Nominations. Danny won IBMA Male Vocalist of the Year for a third time in 2021. Danny’s lead vocals will captivate your senses. Many prominent musicians, like Alison Krauss, have considered Danny as one of their favorite singers. His voice combines powerful range and soulful blues with a sound like no one else in bluegrass today. The band plays powerful, unadorned, and intense traditional bluegrass. There is no hybrid or genre-bending music here. They are deeply rooted in tradition but look to the future with enthusiasm and anticipation.
Listen to his latest release, “Til Lonesome Comes Around.”
Deanie Richardson – Fiddle Player of the Year
This award recognizes the artist who has shown extraordinary mastery of their instrument in recorded and/or in-person performances. Awards are given in six subcategories: banjo, bass, fiddle, guitar, mandolin, and resophonic guitar. The artists must be active professionally within the eligibility period. The awards recognize the artists.
Making her debut appearance on the Grand Ole Opry at the tender age of 13, Deanie Richardson took the stage and never looked back. Raised just outside of Nashville in the small town of Kingston Springs, Deanie grew up in a musical family. With both of her grandfathers and her daddy playing music, it was just natural for Deanie to want to play along. At the age of nine, she picked up the fiddle and the rest is history. Once the bow touches the strings of her 1880 Collin-Mezin you understand why she is known as one of country and bluegrass music’s most revered fiddle players. She can play anything from upbeat, fast-paced bluegrass tunes to lonesome, tear-jerking country melodies. Deanie is a founding member and fiddle player for bluegrass women’s super group, Sister Sadie.
Listen to the latest single from Sister Sadie: “All Will Be Well.”
Dale Ann Bradley – Gospel Recording of the Year
This award recognizes a gospel song or tune, including material that is considered faith-based, inspirational, sacred, spiritual, or searching, that was first commercially released or showed significant chart action during the eligibility period. Any gospel song that has reached the final ballot for this award in previous years is ineligible. The award recognizes the featured artist(s), songwriter(s), producer(s), and record label.
Dale Ann Bradley is a 2x GRAMMY-nominated, 6x IBMA Female Vocalist of the Year songstress and instrumentalist. “Bluegrass can go anywhere, do anything, rip your heart out and make you laugh,” she says. Her upbringing in the coalfields of Appalachia was much like that of her music heros. It’s no small wonder that her music is flavored with rural life and nods to the past. Bradley has been one part of the duo group Bradley & Adair, and has been a member of the all-female band Sister Sadie. She brings decades of songwriting and stage-gracing experience. She has been featured at the Grand Ole Opry countless times and is a member of the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame. Her career has seen collaborations with Vince Gill, Pam Tillis, Dan Tyminski, and Sonny Osborne.
Listen to the award-winning song, “God Already Has.”
Ashby Frank – Instrumental Recording of the Year
This award recognizes an instrumental tune that was first commercially released or showed significant chart action during the eligibility period. Any tune that has reached the final ballot for this award in previous years is ineligible. The award recognizes the featured artist(s), songwriter(s), producer(s), and record label.
Born in North Carolina, now Nashville-based songwriter and musician, Ashby Frank, has solidified his status as a household bluegrass/acoustic music name—at least from within the recording/writing community at-large. That’s all about to change, however, as Frank just inked a solo artist deal with the vaulted Mountain Home Music Company (May 2022), with initial singles being delivered soon. Frank has served in a stunning variety of settings, ranging from the Special Consensus, the Marty Raybon Band, Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper, the Mashville Brigade and the Earls of Leicester to John Cowan’s HercuLeons, the Likely Culprits and his current main gig, Mountain Heart. He’s scored as a songwriter, too, penning songs for Junior Sisk, Amanda Cook, Dale Ann Bradley, Lindley Creek and more, and even taken on the world of comedy as a member of the Darrell Brothers.
Listen to the award-winning song, “Knee Deep in Bluegrass.”
Rick Faris – Songwriter of the Year (Industry)
This award recognizes a songwriter who has shown outstanding contributions to bluegrass music during the eligibility period. Candidates are considered for their own original work and not arrangements of previous work attributed to others or songs in the public domain. Songwriters will be judged by their originality, creativity, and ability to express ideas through song; public reach quantified through sales, broadcast, and chart activity; quality and/or quantity; and impact on bluegrass music with songs that resonate with artists and listeners.
Rick started out picking bluegrass in his family band, the Faris Family, at 7. His father, Bob Faris, a professional touring musician, played alongside Reba McEntire on many stages, including the Grand Ole Opry. Rick toured extensively for many years with his family honing his craft. Later, Faris performed for 10+ years with the GRAMMY-nominated “Special Consensus.” He was a lead singer and guitar and mandolin player. Rick continues to gain industry recognition as a player, songwriter, and performer. He was given the IBMA “New Artist of the Year” in 2022. Under Special Consensus, Faris contributed to recent IBMA award-wins for Performance of the Year and Album of the Year.
Listen to the album, Uncommon Sky.
Grace van’t Hof – Graphic Designer of the Year (Industry)
This award recognizes a graphic designer for outstanding work in the creation of physical and/or digital graphics (album artwork, promotional materials, logos, websites, social media, etc.). Candidates must have been active and their accomplishments evident within the eligibility period. Graphic designers will be judged by their technical design abilities; artistry and aesthetics; success in branding artists, organizations, physical and digital products, events, etc.; and presenting bluegrass music to the public through quality graphic design.
With over a decade of design and illustration experience, Grace van’t Hof combines technical skill from her college-level drawing and painting studies and her graphic design apprenticeship with a colorful and creative sense of composition and design. In addition to her design and illustration accolades, she is an accomplished live scribe and graphic facilitator. She is also a member of bluegrass band, Chris Jones and the Night Drivers.
Listen to the latest single from Chris Jones and the Night Drivers, “What if You’re Wrong.”
Heather Berry Mabe – Vocalist of the Year (Momentum)
This award recognizes a vocalist who has shown, for the first time in his or her career, outstanding musical and professional development during the eligibility period. Vocalists should be acknowledged for capturing the attention of regional bluegrass audiences, for their growing reputation among more established bluegrass artists and industry professionals, and their demonstrated progress toward future recognition by national and worldwide bluegrass audiences. Any vocalist who has reached the final ballot for IBMA Male or Female Vocalist of the Year, or in this Momentum category more than twice in previous years, will no longer be eligible for this award.
Heather Berry-Mabe, born and raised in Sherando, Virginia at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains, grew up playing and singing bluegrass, folk, country, and gospel music. Over the years she has recorded several albums including two for Tom T. & the late Miss Dixie Hall’s label, Blue Circle Records. She has sang all over the country at many different venues including the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee. A two time IBMA award winner for her work with the Daughters of Bluegrass, and a two time SPBGMA female vocalist of the year nominee, Heather has been gifted with a “mountain clear voice,” to quote Miss Dixie Hall. The late Miss Dixie also stated “Tom T. and I have had Heather pegged for some time now as being as awesome as Allison, of the caliber of Emmylou and unassumingly sharing the legendary quality of Maybelle.” Peter Cooper, Grammy nominated singer, songwriter, and producer, had this to say of Heather: “In the music business, we spend a lot of time talking about purity, beauty, tone, pitch and heart. Then Heather Berry sings and we just shut up and listen.” Berry-Mabe is also a member of Red Camel Collective.
Listen to the latest singles from Red Camel Collective: “Roll on Mississippi” and “Sincerity.”
Other winners include:
Ben Surratt – Sound Engineer of the Year (Industry)
Ben Surratt has worked on many projects for our clients including Thomas Cassell’s album, The Never Ending Years.
Tony Watt – Mentor of the Year (Industry)
Tony Watt has performed on projects with our artists, including “Hank” by Laura Orshaw.
